Aeronca 7AC accident near Kutztown, Pennsylvania, April 30, 1990
On April 30, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N112AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kutztown, Pennsylvania (Kutztown airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER CONTROL INPUT AND THE INSTRUCTIOR'S INADEQUATE RESPONSE. THE STUDENT'S INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AS THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED RECOVERY WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kutztown, Pennsylvania · Kutztown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N112AW · registry record · serial 1033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ROTATION ON TAKEOFF, THE STUDENT PILOT MAINTAINED A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK. HE DID NOT LOWER THE NOSE, PUSH STICK FORWARD OR INCREASE AIRSPEED AS INSTRUCTED. INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK CONTROL AND ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT BUT THE STUDENT PULLED STICK BACK HARDER CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL AND CRASH IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,360 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 5,159 as pilot in command; 795 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kutztown Aviation Ser., INC.
The flight
- Destination: N31
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 1,930 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC90LA098.